The Times-Picayune archiveJefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies James Matthews, left, and Johnny Ngai Jr. search for coyotes along the Soniat Canal at the border of River Ridge and Harahan on July1.

"These meetings will be open to and designed for the public to have an open discussion on ways for residents to minimize their contact and deal with their new coyote neighbors," LAWRA Vice-President Beau Gast said. "The current management of the population by gunshot has been scientifically proven through extensive study to be ineffective and in many cases results in an increase in the coyote population. It's expensive and simply doesn't work."

Coyote sightings have been reported recently along the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish as well as at City Park in New Orleans.

Additional public meetings will be held in Orleans, Plaquemines and Saint Bernard parishes over the next few weeks, the organizations said.

The Humane Society of the United States' urban wildlife specialists also will be holding two separate trainings exclusively for area animal-control officers focusing on coyote-hazing techniques that have been used in other communities.

LAWRA is working with Project Coyote and the Humane Society of the United States to create a comprehensive "co-existing with coyotes" plan to present to local government officials.

"Education and sharing information are keys to increasing comfort and decreasing conflict," said Project Coyote Executive Director Camilla Fox. "People are often surprised to learn that with small changes in our own behavior, coyotes can remain good neighbors, contributing ecological benefits to our communities as they avoid people."

Gast said that in other communities, "an effective co-existence plan enacted and followed in cooperation with all the agencies involved resulted in the coyote population remaining wild and very wary of people and their pets. In many areas sightings greatly decreased."